Post by Taxigirl on Dec 21, 2004 8:36:26 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4113663.stm
Author JK Rowling has completed the sixth Harry Potter novel, giving fans an early Christmas present.
She originally said she would announce details on Christmas Day but decided to post a message on her website early.
She said she had plenty of time while pregnant "to tinker with the manuscript to my satisfaction and I am as happy as I have ever been with the end result".
Publisher Scholastic will announce a release date for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on Tuesday.
Writing on her website, she said: "I know you all expected this to happen on Christmas Day.
"But I was sure that those of you who celebrate Christmas have better things to do on the day itself than fight your way into my study, whereas those of you who don't celebrate Christmas would definitely prefer not to wait until the 25th."
Publishing phenomenon
Rowling has already revealed that the sixth book will see one of the characters killed, but she has given no hints as to who is doomed.
The fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, was published in June 2003.
The series has been a publishing phenomenon, with five million copies of the last book sold in the first 24 hours of publication.
Fans had to wait three years between publication of the fourth and fifth books.
Each book has got longer and longer, with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix reaching 870 pages. Rowling has said there will be seven novels in the series.
Rowling gave birth to her second child in 2003 and is expecting her third next year.
Author JK Rowling has completed the sixth Harry Potter novel, giving fans an early Christmas present.
She originally said she would announce details on Christmas Day but decided to post a message on her website early.
She said she had plenty of time while pregnant "to tinker with the manuscript to my satisfaction and I am as happy as I have ever been with the end result".
Publisher Scholastic will announce a release date for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on Tuesday.
Writing on her website, she said: "I know you all expected this to happen on Christmas Day.
"But I was sure that those of you who celebrate Christmas have better things to do on the day itself than fight your way into my study, whereas those of you who don't celebrate Christmas would definitely prefer not to wait until the 25th."
Publishing phenomenon
Rowling has already revealed that the sixth book will see one of the characters killed, but she has given no hints as to who is doomed.
The fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, was published in June 2003.
The series has been a publishing phenomenon, with five million copies of the last book sold in the first 24 hours of publication.
Fans had to wait three years between publication of the fourth and fifth books.
Each book has got longer and longer, with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix reaching 870 pages. Rowling has said there will be seven novels in the series.
Rowling gave birth to her second child in 2003 and is expecting her third next year.